Linger
by Laugh-Dream-Love
Summary: "Are you going to marry her?" the sentence hung vividly in the air. It was accompanied by a cheeky grin and a flick of dark red hair that belonged to his neighbour. He turned, and fixed his cool grey eyes on the tons of freckles that adorned Joe's face. "I'll think about it, Joby." Draco whispered, his eyes drifting to the house beyond Joe's garden. Rated T for swears.
1. Ending it

_Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction, and I'm pretty excited about putting it up here. It's a dramione fanfiction, because I love them, so if you don't like dramione then don't read it. I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to please please review as it means that I can improve for you guys in the future, okay? Thank you so much! Enjoy (:_

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She closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath brush her lips gently before he pushed his own lips against them. Before he would have liked, she pulled away, opening her eyes and looking at him closely. His red hair wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. His blue eyes were cute, her favourite colour, yet they didn't grasp her anymore. She sighed as he stroked her cheek with his hand. He looked content, being with her. He didn't seem to feel any different to how he had done three years ago. She knew, though, that she did. Of course she still loved him, but it wasn't that deep, passionate love that she had done before. It felt platonic almost; a bit like kissing your older brother, which made you feel strange when you did it. He leant in again, almost squashing her with his stocky frame. She put a hand on his chest, stopping him from reaching, and he took a step back, looking at her quizzically. She sighed again, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ron." She began gently, holding his gaze. He dropped his eyes, avoiding her words. He'd known it was coming, maybe for a few weeks now. He just wanted to go on like this.

"I know Mione." He whispered glancing at her face quickly and seeing her eyes fill with tears.

"Ron, we can't do this to ourselves anymore." She said, noticing the twinge in his voice. He didn't want it to end.

"Mione." He gulped, grasping for straws, anything that said they should stay the way they were. She reached out and lifted his chin just slightly; enough so that she could look comfortably in his eyes.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, we are having this talk whether you want to or not." She stated, firmly but gently, eliciting a small smile from her boyfriend. She sighed for the third time, holding his face in line with hers. "Can you honestly tell me that you still feel the same way about me?" she asked, nervously awaiting the answer.

"Yes." He replied, his voice shaking with unprecedented rage. Hermione took a step back, as if to protect herself from the quiet anger in his voice. "For Merlin's sake Mione, I never stopped loving you."

"Ronald." She said, keeping her voice level. "I never stopped loving you either. But not like I used to." She admitted, dropping her gaze to the floor. "You're like a brother to me, Ron. I just can't get over that fact." She lifted her head to see Ron's face. His eyes were closed, shutting out the light and the pain. She could hear him breathing, trying to work through, thinking of what to say next. She let him mull it over, a few minutes of silence was worth the pain she thought he must be feeling right now.

"I can't believe we let it get this far." He whispered, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist. She hugged him, a few tears falling from her closed eyes. Ron buried his face in her bushy hair, as if taking refuge from the great tear in his heart. Hermione opened her eyes to look around the small flat that she and Ron shared. They'd bought it last year, and it had never really felt like home. She closed her eyes again, willing the tears to stop, but they kept on falling. She didn't know if she was ready to give up her security, but she knew she couldn't stay living like this. She felt Ron move his face closer to hers, nuzzling her neck in the process. He kissed her neck gently, and moved his hands into her hair, running his fingers over her scalp. Hermione took a step back, leaving Ron holding air.

"Ron." She sighed, "I just broke up with you. What are you doing?" she quizzed him, a confused look on her face. Ron stared back at her amazed. She meant it? She…really meant it. He looked at the floor, tears in his eyes.

"I…Mione, I'm sorry. I…Can you just go? Please?" he whispered, sinking to the floor, his head in his hands. Hermione stepped over to the door, grabbing her coat on the way there. She slipped her shoes on, and looked at Ron's hunched figure shaking softly on the floor. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes as she opened the door. "I'll come back later and get my things." She said, shutting the door gently behind her. She stood outside the apartment for a few minutes, letting the events sink in. Pulling out her cell phone she dialled Harry's number. Ron needed his best friend right now.

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_Sorry this first one is so short, it's sort of just a background and to tie up the loose ends between Hermione and Ron. Once again, please review, it would mean a lot to me! Thank you so much you wonderful people! Hopefully the next chapter will be out soon (as I have nothing else to do), so you shouldn't have to wait too long. Thanks again for reading! (:_


	2. What's a promise among friends?

_A/N Hello there everybody! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up and running, it took me a while to figure out where I wanted it to go. BUT now I'm full of inspiration, and I want to write all day (too bad I have to go to work huh). I hope you like this second chapter, which is setting the scene again. No actual dramione-age yet, but we're getting there! Please review, it means the world to me, and I'd love to keep getting better for you guys! Okay, on with the story. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter franchise, or anything to do with Harry Potter. The character of Draco Malfoy and all that goes with him belongs to J.K Rowling, however much I'd love to say they're mine :P_

_Beware: This story is rated M for a reason. There are swears in this chapter, so no one who shouldn't be reading this please and thank you (:_

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_Draco's POV_

I stumbled into the small apartment, fumbling around for the light switch. I prayed Kelsey had already gone to bed, but some small part of me knew that she probably hadn't. It wasn't my fault that we fought constantly; she was just too easy to argue with. Despite this, I didn't want it to end. She was so different to the girls I'd dated in the past, maybe with one exception, and I loved it. She didn't care that I'd worked with Voldemort, she didn't even know who he was. She didn't care that I was hiding out from my family, living in a completely new city to not face the embarrassment that was sure to follow me like a dog back at home. The past six months had been wonderful, but the last two weeks had been close to the worst of my life. We'd argued non-stop, about stupid things that didn't even matter. I sighed and gave up trying to find the light, it'd only alert Kelsey to fact that I was back.

Pushing my straggling hair out of my eyes, I strained to see a pathway to the bathroom, where I could rid myself of any alcoholic smells. The floor was littered with small piles of what looked like clothes…my clothes. Cursing under my breath I lit my wand and used it to shed some light on the situation (no pun intended). In the far corner under a chair was my suitcase, the one I'd brought to the flat with me when I'd moved in. There was a maze of clothes piles scattered around the room. It looked like they'd been thrown every which way with no care being given to if they got creased or wrinkled. I frowned, lowering my wand and picking my way carefully between the clothes. I winced as I trod on a squeaky floorboard, hearing a noise from the bedroom. "Drat and blast it!" I yelled, stubbing my big toe on the corner of the sideboard, as Kelsey emerged looking like a demon.

"Where've you been Draco? Never mind, I can smell it from here." She cried, waving her arms like a crazy woman. "You went to the pub? Again? After everything we talked about, I thought we'd agreed, I thought we were fine now." I could hear the tears welling up in her throat, but instead of running to comfort her I bit back.

"We agreed? You _told _me. There's no agreement in that. No compromise. There's never any compromise, it's just you, _telling _me what to do, with bad consequences for me if I don't do it!" my cheeks were getting hotter, and Kelsey had tear stains on her face, but I continued; I had to. "There's no 'we' in this relationship, it's all you. I don't get a say, I never did. I'm fed up with it Kelsey! All we ever do these days is argue, a…"

"Whose fault is that?" she spat at me, venom in her words. "If you hadn't begged me to go on a date with you we'd never be in this mess in the first place!"

"I begged you? You think I begged you! Darling, I have no idea why you went on that date with me, but let me tell you, it had nothing to do with begging. Draco Malfoy never begs." I sneered, curling my top lip into my infamous snarl. I stared into Kelsey's eyes, wondering when they'd started to look so lifeless. I sighed, and hung my head. Since when did Malfoys fight with girls. She was a muggle, so I guess my father wouldn't have cared. Either way, I let her win, just like I always did. She was having none of it though.

"For fuck's sake Draco, you're such a coward. You can't even argue with me because you're afraid to hurt a woman! That's it! We're over! Done! I can't live like this anymore! All we do is argue because you're such a bastard! You go out drinking until God knows what hour, come home drunk and expect me not to care! You can go to hell Draco Malfoy! I'm through living like this!" Kelsey stormed into the bedroom, turned on the light and picked up a suitcase that had been behind the door.

"Where are you going?" I questioned, rather pathetically if I have to admit it, as she strutted past me.

"Home." She said, without turning around, and then she walked out of the door.

"But you are home." I whispered, my comment unheard underneath the loud bang of the door behind the girl I'd thought I loved.

I hadn't remembered getting into bed that night, but I must have done, as I woke up in my pajamas splayed unflatteringly across the double bed. I still reeked of alcohol, and I took a shower before remembering what had happened the night before. Tears came back to me as I recalled the look of hatred on Kelsey's face, her beautiful eyes dead as carrion. 'Stop this Draco. You're a grown man, you need to behave like one. What would your father say?' I screwed my eyes up until I couldn't see, and then opened them to the now blurry scene around me.

I functioned on autopilot for the rest of that day, my voice monotonous and tired, and my actions weak. My boss, Mr Healy, noticed my distress, and told me to go home and get some rest. "Get home with you boy. You look like you could use a nice long nap, ay you do." So I followed the towering Scotsman's advice, and went home to bed.

I slept fitfully for a couple of hours, and woke feeling marginally better than before. I desperately needed someone to talk to about this, I had to get it all off of my chest. I had no one. I'd pushed all of my friends away the moment the war was over, and I'd made sure that my father knew I wasn't going to be pushed around by him any longer. My mother was upset that I was moving away, "Scotland's so far." She'd said through sobs, but I'd just hugged her and smiled. That was the plan. Now, I wasn't so sure. I needed someone, but it couldn't just be anyone. I needed someone who knew me better than I knew myself, so that ruled out plenty of old friends, lovers, enemies, who I could have turned to for anything else. My parents were ruled out also, they'd be understanding, but they wouldn't understand. Two entirely different things, but I needed the latter right now.

As the realisation dawned on me that there was only one person I could call, I felt a shiver go down my spine. I'd promised. A Malfoy never breaks his promise. But this was an emergency. My hands reached for the number automatically, and punched it in, the key pattern still familiar in my mind. I hesitated over the call button. I'd promised. Three years ago I'd promised not to call. No contact. It was over. _We _were over. I was a man of pride, but I found myself longing to hear that voice again. To see that smile, to hear the laugh that had brought joy to so many of my summers. But I'd promised.

'A promise means nothing among friends in need.' A small voice at the back of my mind whispered. Trembling all over with anticipation, I pressed the button, and heard the phone start to ring.

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_A/N - Okay! It seems like all we've done so far is ruin relationships (teehee, fun isn't it?) Aaaanyway. We're on track for where I want this to go, and I hope you don't hate me for leaving you hanging like this! Once again, I'm sorry it's been so long, real life just got totally in the way. Reviews make me super happy, and I'd appreciate anything you left for me, even a comment just saying you like it (or don't) is enough for me (: Don't get too hung up over Draco's broken heart, he'll mend. The precious thing. Anyway! I need to get some sleep! I promise not to leave it so long between chapters this time!  
__Ciao for now amigos xx_

_P.S: Isn't Draco cute when he curses :3_


	3. Just two words

_A/N Hello everyone! Well, it hasn't been as long as last time (thank goodness). I'm not a hundred percent pleased with this chapter, but it's better than it has been. This is really just another filler chapter until I get to the real Dramione bits. As always, please review, it means the world to me. If I don't get reviews then I can't improve. And again, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise, though I wish I did. All credit for the characters goes to JK Rowling. Enjoy!_

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Hermione sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She could have sworn that her phone was ringing. Looking over to the table beside her bed, she picked it up. Five missed calls? Someone desperately wanted to get hold of her, but in the middle of the night? She dropped her phone back on the side table and snuggled into her duvet. She was woken five minutes later by the shrill ringing of her alarm, which reminded her that it was time to get up and go to work. Joy of joys. It had been a week since she and Ron broke up, and she kept getting accusing stares from Lavender Brown of all people, despite the fact that Ron had made it perfectly clear that they'd _never_ be an item again. She, however, perpetually stalked him, so had known exactly what had gone on the night that he and Hermione had split up. Mione had actually bumped into her walking down the stairs to leave the apartment building. That's when her suspicions had been raised, as Lavender never walked anywhere, unless she had to.

Sighing, Hermione swung herself upright and got out of bed. She took a quick shower and dressed smartly. When she got into the kitchen she saw her mother at the stove, cooking eggs. She smiled as Hermione stood in the doorway, framed in the light from the window behind her. She took a seat at the table, just as her mother put a plate of fried eggs and toast in front of her. Smiling gratefully, Hermione ate demurely, and then washed her things in the sink.

"You know, with all the magic you know, you'd think you'd use it to do the dishes for you." Her mother grinned, silently sliding her plate into the waterlogged sink. Hermione turned around and embraced her, the woman who'd been her rock throughout the hardest years of her life. She'd been there through it all, even when…but no, she'd promised herself she wouldn't think about that. She planted a gentle kiss on her mother's forehead, and moved towards the front door. Picking up her bag she slipped on her shoes and reached for the keys that were kept on a small hook just beside the door. Her mother stood in the kitchen and watched her grown up daughter with tears in her eyes. She moved into the hallway and pulled Hermione into a hug. "Don't be too late." She whispered, as she released Hermione and opened the front door. Hermione looked at her mother, seeing the age showing around her eyes. "I won't." she promised, before heading out into the sunny July morning.

o.o

Harry walked nervously to Hermione's office. His hands were shaking, and he was trying incredibly hard to keep his lunch down. Rubbing his palms together, he worked up the courage to knock on the door. Hermione saved him that though, by opening it, and nearly walking into him. Their faces were so close that he could feel her breathing, and he took a step back so that he could see her properly.

"Oh Harry!" she exclaimed, straightening her blouse automatically. Harry gulped, and smiled into Hermione's deep brown eyes.

"Hermione." He said, politely and calmly. "Can we go inside your office? I need to talk to you about something." He gestured to the sofa that had been placed by Hermione's window that overlooked London. She grinned, and held the door open so that Harry could enter the room.

"Of course Harry. It's been ages. Ginny was saying the other week that we all needed to get together and go out some time soon." She began cheerfully, taking a seat on the leather, facing the dingy tower blocks of the city. Harry took the seat next to her, and sighed.

"Yeah, that sounds great. Listen, Mione. I need to tell you something. It's important." He started, only to be cut off by her high pitched plans.

"Ooh, that new restaurant opened near my parents' place, we could go there. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you apparating to theirs so we can meet up and all go there together. This is going to be so much fun!" she squealed, getting her wand out and shutting the door. "I'll phone Ginny this evening, she'll be so excited!"

"I kissed Ron!" Hermione choked on her next sentence, and turned to face Harry. He'd gone red, and was fiddling with the zip on his hoodie. The silence ripped through the small room, and the tension was horribly thick. She seemed to be processing the statement, and sure enough, she started to turn a terrible shade of purple. Harry looked pathetically at her, as she leapt up from the sofa and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh!" she gasped, shaking her hair all over the place. "No! When? How? Why? What the fuck Harry!" she yelled whilst pacing up and down the office. Harry stood up and went to her, taking her hands in his.

"Mione." He began as she pulled her hands away from him. "It just happened. I went round to comfort him when you chucked him, and all the tension…I just couldn't take it anymore." He looked into her eyes, hoping for some sympathy. Hermione stared at Harry, bewilderment on her face. Anger came over her, and she walked towards the office door.

"Get out." She whispered angrily, fixing Harry with a death stare. He tried to say something but she stopped him in his tracks. "Listen to me Harry Potter. You may have saved the world from Voldemort, but that doesn't make you unanswerable for your actions. How do you think Ron's feeling right now? He's probably confused as anything! And Ginny. Oh Merlin Ginny." She glared straight at Harry, making him squirm in terror. "If you ever hurt Ginny, I'll personally make sure you can never bear children Harry Potter." She finished, and watched as Harry strode down the corridor, his tail between his legs.

She sighed and lay down on the sofa, feeling the cool leather on her face. The tears fell rapidly, and soon she had to move so that her carpet could dry. She settled in front of her computer, and tried to do the work she had planned to finish today, but she was too distracted. She placed her head on her crossed arms, and closed her eyes.

She was awoken three minutes later by the buzzing of her mobile. She sat up and grabbed it, looking at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, which puzzled her, as she only ever got calls from contacts in her phone. She answered it nonetheless, but her day had been ruined, and she was going to make sure that the caller knew it.

"This is Hermione Granger speaking. I'll warn you now, if you've called me as a prank, or to piss me off then don't bother, because I already feel like crap, so you can just fuck off now." She sulked, holding the handset close.

"Hi, Mia." The silky smooth voice whispered into her ear. Hermione gasped and dropped the phone into her lap, a small tear trickling down her left cheek.

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_Yay! Chapter 3 is done :D (Vicky, didn't I tell you there'd be Rarry? :P) I hope you enjoyed the surprise I added to this chapter, I needed something to give it more substance, and make it more interesting :P Also, what about the ending huh? I'll try and get into more interesting stuff next chapter, but the background stuff is essential so that it makes it more believable. Please review (:_


	4. Nightmares

_A/N: It's me again! I'm back with chapter 4, which took me less time to write than the other chapters, and is longer! Still a bit more background, but hopefully I can get onto them meeting soon (I'm thinking possibly the next chapter :D) I hope you enjoy this new installment!_

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, or anything remotely to do with the wonderful world of Harry Potter; that all belongs to JK Rowling. The plot, however, is mine._

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_It was a crisp September morning, and she was enjoying the cool breeze coming in through her window. She had on her favourite jeans and top, her robes packed in the trunk that lay beside her in the back of the car. The radio was playing, and she could hear her mother humming along to the tune that filled the air, her father tapping his fingers in time on the steering wheel. She smiled, it would be great. The sun lit up the streets of London, as her father finally found their destination. Kings Cross Station! As soon as the engine had stopped humming, she flew out of the car and stood impatiently, waiting for her mother to get her trunk. "Hermione, dear, rushing about won't make it go any quicker. If anything we'll be far too early, and have to wait around for longer." Her father joked, making her more anxious than she already was._

_Taking his hand, she led him into the station, gaping in awe as she took everything in. They followed a rather large family to platform nine, and then stopped. Hermione was nervous, her hand was shaking, and she'd turned a rather awful shade of grey. Her mother hugged her, and placed the trunk on a trolley. She shook her head, 'Be brave Hermione.' She told herself, as she hurtled towards the wall that would take her to the train, and her new school._

_She came out on the other side, running briskly, and had to stop rather sharply in order to avoid a collision with another student. He looked the same age as her, and he didn't have any robes on either. His hair was a pale blonde colour, and his eyes a peculiar silvery grey. She smiled at him, hopeful of making a new friend, and he smiled back, shyly, but then more confidently. He sauntered off to his parents, who were fussing over him to no end. His mother looked like she wanted to cry and take him in her arms, keeping him with her in a bubble. Hermione smirked, and turned around to her own parents, who were trying not to cry themselves._

"_Hermione, dear, don't forget to brush your teeth every day, and study well, and be careful. Don't break the rules, or do anything that you wouldn't at home. I hope it's nice there, though I'm sure it will be, and you'll make friends in no time! Oh, my little girl is growing up!" her mother rambled, making Hermione and her father smile. She hugged them both, feeling the butterflies in her stomach grow stronger, giving her the urge to throw up._

"_I'll be fine mum, dad." She reassured them, although she was still feeling a little queasy. "I'm sure everyone will be nice, and I promise to be good." Her parents hugged her again, and she pulled her trunk onto the train with her. "Goodbye mum, dad. I'll see you at Christmas!" she cried, as the train pulled away from the station._

_She sat down in an empty carriage and took out her robes, meaning to get changed so she was ready. She found a small bathroom and changed in there, heading straight back to her carriage once she was done. She was surprised to find someone sitting in there, and even more so to see that it was the boy she'd smiled at on the station._

"_Hello." She grinned, entering the carriage. He turned around, shocked by her presence._

"_This carriage is taken." He said, indicating his things on the seat opposite him._

"_I know." She replied, pointing to hers on the shelf above his head and smiling again. She held out her hand to him, introducing herself politely. "My name's Hermione. I'm eleven years old, and this is my first year at Hogwarts." She said, hoping he'd take her offer. He grabbed her hand and shook it gratefully._

"_I'm Draco. Also eleven. It's good to meet you Hermione." He smiled, relaxing in his seat. Since his trunk was taking the seat opposite him, Hermione sat down next to him, taking out a bag from her pocket._

"_Caramel?" she asked, offering the bag to Draco. He looked at it warily, then stuck his hand in and pulled out a sticky treat. "They're delicious, my mum made them." She grinned, popping one in her mouth. Draco copied her, and was soon enjoying his third. They chatted amicably about Hogwarts, and it turned out that they had the exact same favourite book._

"_No way!" Draco yelled, "I love that book! Hogwarts, A History is my favourite book too!" Hermione grinned._

"_It helped me understand a lot about life with magic." She said, not noticing Draco's changing expression. "I'd never heard of Hogwarts before my letter came, and my parents were just as shocked as I was. I read every book I could find to do with magic, and Hogwarts. It's going to be wonderful don't you think?" Draco stood up, and glared at her, and she wriggled under his stare. "What?" she asked, "Didn't you know that muggles can be magical?" she asked, praying that this was just a misunderstanding._

"_My father says that you're a mudblood. Muggles who are magical spoil the pure blood of the wizarding world. He says you're no good, and that we shouldn't be friends with you." He spat, turning to grab his trunk._

"_I don't have muddy blood." Hermione said, bewildered by Draco's outburst. "Why shouldn't we be friends if we want to? Your father can't know all the muggles in the world, so how can he say we're all the same?" she cried, standing up and blocking the exit. "I don't have muddy blood!" she said, making Draco's face turn pale._

"_What?" he said, dropping his things back on the seat. "You must do, father never lies."_

"_I'll show you" she said, grabbing a piece of paper from the table. She gave herself a small papercut on her left index finger, and watched as the blood oozed from the wound. "There." She thrust it in Draco's face. "No mud." She grinned._

_Draco fell back on the chair, stunned. "It was all a lie. But, why would he lie? Lying is wrong, he says so himself!" he whispered, shocked to the core._

"_My parents lied to me too. They told me that Santa brings me presents on Christmas, and that the tooth fairy takes away my teeth and gives me money when they fall out. That's not true. I stayed awake and watched them once. My dad was Santa, and my mum was the tooth fairy. You can't believe everything your parents say Draco." She comforted him, sitting next to him and holding her finger to stop it bleeding. She looked him the eyes. "So, if I don't have muddy blood, does that mean we can be friends?" she asked, smiling._

_Draco looked up at her, his whole world had just been shattered, but he saw a kindness in her that he'd never seen before. She wasn't dirty; she was just as clean as him. She was being kind to him, and he wanted that. He craved kindness, so he smiled back at her, and whispered "Yes." Then, he pulled her in for a tight hug, the kind that squeezes all of the breath out of you, but makes you feel warm inside at the same time._

_They chatted furiously after that, about anything and everything, until they were interrupted by a boy, calling himself Neville. "I don't suppose you've seen a toad, have you?" he asked quietly, as they both shook their heads. "He's called Trevor, and he's lost!" he sobbed, and Hermione went to comfort him._

"_Come on Neville, I'll help you find him." She said, walking down the train with him. She suddenly doubled back and stood in the doorway, looking straight at Draco. "It was good to meet you. I hope we can talk some more!" she said, before running back to catch up with Neville._

_Draco smiled. He'd just made a friend. Boy did he need more of those._

o.o

Hermione woke up with a start. Her face was red, and her heart was beating incredibly fast. She turned to look at the clock that sat beside her bed. It was half past five, on Saturday, and she was awake. She knew she'd never get back to sleep, not after that, so she went and had a cooling shower.

It was all that boy's fault she hadn't slept well. She cursed him for phoning her when she was having a crappy day, for finding her when she was weak and vulnerable. If it wasn't for him she wouldn't have dreamt of the day they first met; something she hadn't done in a long time. She also, by consequence of that dream, wouldn't be here, in the shower, at half past five in the morning. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself as she walked back into her room.

She forgot to turn on the light, so bashed her knee on the side of her bed. "Fuck!" she yelled, before slapping a hand to her mouth. She'd just sworn, in her parents' house. Thank goodness she'd cast a muffliato charm around her room last night, so that they wouldn't hear her crying. Damn Harry and his insatiable need to fill whatever stupid idea that came into his head. Damn Ronald for being such a big twit who she didn't have feelings for. Damn that Draco Malfoy. Just damn all of them! They interfered in her already perfectly mucked up life, and made her feel stupid emotions that she thought she'd left behind in that café, the little one where they'd always gone. The muggle café that she'd avoided since that day. Whenever her mother suggested a visit there she'd always politely suggested somewhere else. It was pathetic really, but she thought she'd gotten over it. Hermione Granger isn't always right.

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_A/N: Yay! Draco and Hermione's first meeting on the train :D I thought I did a fairly good job of their meeting, I hope it makes sense. I think that eleven year olds are quite flexible, and he would have surely believed that Hermione wasn't bad when he saw that his father had lied about her having 'dirty' blood. I believe that Draco's a good guy, who was just brought up under a world of prejudice and hate towards muggleborns. He needs a Hermione to change his views :P She's definitely the person to do that!_

_Anyway! Review please! I've only had one so far, which was for chapter one, and I'd really, really like con-crit so I can better at this. Thank you! (: (: (:_


	5. A reunion

_A/N Hello again guys! Sorry it's been a long time (again), but real life interfered, and I was having a weeny bit of writer's block (okay, maybe it was bigger than weeny). There are some parts of this that still bug me, but it's a lot better than I had it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, don't forget to review it (:_

_DISCLAIMER: None of the wizarding world of Harry Potter belongs to me, despite how much I wish it did. I do want you to note, however, that if anything seems to have been changed from J.K's work, then it's supposed to have been changed, and if you complain I'll just treat it as spam, seeing as I warned you._

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The rain beat heavily down on the small window above the bed. Some of it trickled in through a tiny crack in the wooden frame, and began dripping on the occupant's face. Silently he stirred, feeling the cool droplets working their way down his cheeks, and opened his eyes. Squinting a little in the dark, Draco sat up, switching on his bedside lamp on the way, and bumping his head on the sloping ceiling when he'd almost reached full height. "Shit!" he yelled, grabbing his head in his arms, and turning to crawl towards the end of the bed. He rubbed the spot he'd bruised, and grabbed his alarm clock from the dresser by his door. "5.30!" he groaned, wiping the dust from his eyes, and snatching a towel from the floor. "Damn it! Damn, damn, damn!" he shouted, scaring a pigeon that had perched itself on the window in the roof. Cursing as he showered, he made sure that he was gentle with the bruise that was now forming on his crown. He dressed in silence; jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but then, this was not a fancy occasion.

He frowned out of frustration, and wonder. Why had he called her now, after three years? There had been plenty of times that he could have called her before. Plenty of times that he'd wanted to call her, but he'd stopped himself because he knew that she'd yell; because he knew that it'd break her heart. Shaking his head he pulled himself out of the daydream; he didn't want to remember because it hurt too much, but he knew that he'd never forget.

o.o

She sighed, rubbing her arm for the fifth time in two minutes, earning a look from her mother. Hermione glanced down again at the small watch on her wrist, checking the time. It would take her five minutes to walk there, but she'd better leave now just in case. Grabbing her coat from the hook she kissed her mother goodbye, pulled on her shoes and checked that she had her keys simultaneously; a handy skill that she'd learned over the years.

As she walked down the street past the houses that she knew by heart, she slipped back into a daydream. No contact for three years and now they were meeting again. She didn't know how to feel. Angry, maybe, since he'd promised not to call. Upset because of all the memories coming back; the fresh pain he'd caused her. Nervous? Well maybe a little. She was apprehensive, but it was just like walking backwards three years, into a world where they were older but everything else was the same. Although she wondered if it was the same. Would he be the same? His hair, his eyes, his cheeky smile? Lost in thought she nearly passed the café, but her feet brought her to the door, her sub conscience still remembering the way. Her eyes moved to look at the sign that still hung above the entrance, announcing the shop's presence in the area. It was painted a deep blue, with silver edging, and an old fashioned type that read 'Katy's Café'.

o.o

"_Are you going to marry her?" the sentence hung vividly in the air. It was accompanied by a cheeky grin and a flick of dark red hair that belonged to his neighbour. He turned, and fixed his cool grey eyes on the tons of freckles that adorned Joe's face. This was known to make the teenage boy squirm, and Draco liked inflicting this tension very much. "Oh come on Dray, you know I was only kidding, right?"_

"_Oh, sure." Murmured the blond, not taking his eyes from the top of Joe's head. "It sounded like you were kidding." Then the eye roll and the sigh. The perfect finishing touch. Joe shook his head, the ginger mass almost taking Draco's eyes out._

"_Dude, you know that freaks me out right?" he said, looking at the tall willow tree down by the pond. This made Draco smile, and he gave his friend a gentle punch on the arm. Then, he stood up and brushed the grass off of his jeans. Joe stood up too; his slightly stocky frame about an inch shorter than Draco's slender one._

"_I'll think about it, Joby." Draco whispered, his eyes drifting to the house beyond Joe's garden. Seeing that Draco seemed to be about to drift away again, Joe pulled out his wallet and checked to see what was in there. He grinned as he saw a tenner stuck in the zip, and pulled it out. Waving it in front of Draco's eyes, he smiled his cheeky smile and stuck out his tongue._

"_Come on mate." He chuckled, walking off down the garden. "Let's go to Katy's."_

Snapping back into reality, Draco tore his eyes off of the deep blue sign that had led him to the past. It was still the same, though he'd doubted that it would have changed much. Opening the door, he could see that it was a quiet day in the small café today. Over by the counter he spotted Katy, the owner, and someone not unknown to him. She looked up from her cleaning, and caught his eye. In a flash she had grabbed him in a huge embrace, lifting his feet off of the ground.

Katy wasn't a small woman, her frame engulfed him, but it felt like home. Draco suddenly felt a tear come to his eye, and as she put him down he had to stop himself from bawling like a child. Katy took his face in her hands and looked at him, as if studying him closely. "Master Draco, you haven't changed one bit." She smiled, and he felt his heart warming slightly, the frost lifting just a little. She nodded her head to him, and whispered, "She's here." He didn't have to ask where; he knew that ever since they'd stopped coming here, their table had been reserved until the day that they'd come back. Katy knew that he understood, and went back to her post, watching out for the young man she'd known for a long time.

Draco started tentatively towards the back of the café, glancing around with every step he took. It was the same as he remembered it; the décor hadn't changed since he'd been in here three years ago. It wasn't as crowded as it had been that day though; he felt his cheeks colour just thinking about it. Not their first argument, but certainly their last. Or so he'd thought as he'd stormed out of the café that day. He was so angry, and at that point in time he was determined not to speak to her again. Even when they'd won the war, and he was being congratulated as a turncoat. Not even then.

He stopped just behind a small half wall that jutted out on his left. It hid the booths that were often frequented by teenagers, and he could see the small table on the end, the one that was meant for two. It had a reserved sign on it, as he'd rightfully guessed it would, and a tall, slender woman sitting with her back to him. He took a deep breath, partly to stop the butterflies that had just hatched in his stomach, and partly to calm his head. Then, he stepped out and round, so that he was standing next to her. She looked up slowly, and gasped as she saw his face, her eyes slightly damp. "Hi." He offered, wondering what he should do.

"Hello." She whispered, not bothering to hide the now fully formed tears that were running down her cheeks. "Please, sit down." Gesturing to the seat opposite her, she turned to get a tissue from her bag. Draco smiled slightly, and took the seat. Hermione dabbed at her eyes, willing the tears to stop coming, and looked Draco in the eyes. "Why did you call me?" she asked, her eyes filling again. "Three years. I thought we were doing well. I was just starting to cope. Why now?" her voice drowned to a whisper once again, betraying her emotions.

Draco sighed, he knew she'd ask, but what should he tell her? That he called her because he was selfish and just needed someone he knew would be there? He couldn't say that, she'd be the one storming out this time. "Has it really been three years?" he muttered, more to himself than her, but it was a genuine question. He hadn't wanted to believe it, but here they were twenty one years old and still the same. Hermione looked at him with a tender expression. He didn't want to think that things were like they had been before the argument. Sweeping a hand through his blond locks, Draco fixed Hermione with an inquisitive gaze. "I missed you." He said, and then groaned, placing his head on the table.

Hermione closed her eyes, willing the butterflies to leave. She hadn't expected 'I missed you.' Sighing she met Draco's stare, amazed by the coolness of his grey eyes, and how they entranced her once again. "I…Well, I wasn't expecting that." She admitted, colouring a little. Draco tried to suppress a smile; he couldn't help but wonder if anything had changed. "You know I…well, you know about Ron and me?" she blurted out suddenly, as if it mattered more than anything. Draco was taken aback at this outburst, but outwardly kept his cool. 'She's dating Weasley?' he thought, but decided to play the game.

"Didn't you hear about the muggle girl and me?" he responded, immediately wishing he'd chosen his words better. "Sorry, Kelsey, that's her name." he tried to work out what was going on in Hermione's brain; a futile exercise. Hermione was turning things over and over, wondering what he'd meant by that revelation. She'd just presumed that he'd heard about her break up, seeing as it was all over the wizarding world news that two of the golden trio were now 'just friends'.

"Ron and I broke up."

"Kelsey's just a friend."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"I assumed you were dating. I thought you knew about Ron."

"No. When did this happen? How come I wasn't the first to know?"

"I wouldn't have told you first, we weren't speaking two weeks ago. If we'd have still been friends then you would have and you know it Draco Malfoy. But you also know that if we were still talking, Ron and I would have never gotten together in the first place." Draco opened and closed his mouth in response, but the words didn't fall out. Instead he just sat there staring, looking like a fish, while Hermione looked at him and waited for him to reply. "Oh for God's sake Draco, say something!"

"Erm, yes? I mean what? Shit, fuck, balls. Oh God I just swore didn't I. Oh shiver me timbers, drat and blast it! Can they hear me?" leaning over to look past the wall, Draco checked that no one was looking at him, and when he leaned back in he could see Hermione stifling a laugh. "Oh go on laugh, I know you want to." And he leant over and tickled her sides, causing her to yell out. Soon they were both laughing, and as Hermione went to retaliate their noses bumped, and a tingle ran down each spine. The laughter stopped as they pulled back looking carefully at each other, as if a single mistake might shatter the walls that had been built to protect them.

The first to move was Draco, ever so slowly. He edged towards Hermione, his grey eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Hermione felt her heart begin to beat faster, and began moving to meet Draco halfway. Soon their foreheads were touching; they were close enough to feel each other's breath. "Mia." Whispered Draco, closing his eyes as he remembered times past. "Mimi, are you sure?" Hermione nodded gently, and in that second, the gap between their lips closed as they were brought together in a sweet, tender kiss.

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_A/N: Okay, so how did you like it? Cliffhanger ending? Nah, I thought I'd be kind to you (: A much longer chapter, but after I got rid of my block I just wanted to keep on writing. Please, please review it for me. I'd love you forever, and might give you a cameo in the next chapter *totallynotblackmail* :P Hope you enjoyed it!_


	6. Memories

_A/N: Hello, I'm back again! Chapter six is not very long, but it's because I wanted it to stop here before I have to go into a whole lot of explaining and flashbacks. I promise you will get explanations, I just need to write them (: Also, a chapter about Harry and Ron's kiss, because Vicky likes them, and wants me to explain how it happened, so look out for that soon. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't hate me too much for the cliffhanger ending :D Don't forget to review!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter franchise, as much as I wish I did. Also, there's another bit, so go back and read that from the last chapter. Enjoy!_

_This chapter is dedicated to one of my best friends Chloebear (: It's her birthday today, so happy birthday you old woman (: Have fun reading this!_

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Hermione's POV:

I walked out. Don't get me wrong, it was a great kiss, but I hadn't seen him for three years, that's not something I do the first time I greet somebody after that long. Well, not normally. So, I walked out. I had to get some air, to think things through. There was a lot going through my mind, not that that's unusual, but three years is a long time. Believe me, it was the longest three years of my life.

I wasn't really surprised when Draco followed me out of the café. He needed an explanation as to why I'd shot off like that. When the kiss had finished, I gathered up my stuff and left, trying not to look him in the eyes. It was hard, because I love the cool grey tones that run through them. With the feeling still tingling on my lips and the butterflies still jiggling in my stomach, I walked calmly out of Katy's. When I got outside, I just stood there. I didn't know where to go now.

I heard him come out behind me. Turning round I saw the bemused look on his face, and wondered what he would be feeling right now. "I'm sorry, Draco." I said, looking at the floor. "It's just been so long. I'm not sure I'm ready right now." He sighed, and I felt his arms snake around me as he pulled me into an embrace.

"Mimi." He muttered, burying his face in my hair. "I understand, I really do, but I missed you so much." I felt a tear slide down my cheek, and I wrapped my arms around him, gripping tightly. My face was squashed against his chest, and it smelled like my childhood. The tears fell freely now, and Draco started stroking my hair to comfort me. Nothing helped. There were too many memories running through my mind, too many good times, and situations that could have happened if only we'd stayed friends.

I broke away, staring Draco in the eyes. His were moist too, and the brightest grey you've ever seen. I sniffled, willing the tears to stop; I then took his left hand in my right. "Draco." I had to stop, before I broke down again. "I can't. Draco, I can't do it. There're too many memories right now." He took his hand away, still looking confused. "Every time I look at you, he's all I see." He hung his head, fully aware now of what I meant. "I want this Draco, I really do. But when I look into your eyes, your handsome grey eyes, all I see is Aden."

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_A/N: Told you it wasn't very long, oops. It looks a lot shorter than it did in word :/ Well, hopefully I can post chapter seven soon, so you're not wondering for too long. _

_Please, please review, it means the world to me, even if you just write, 'I loved it.' or 'It was crap.' I still want you to write it! If you want a cameo in a future chapter, then add that to your review, because I'm bribing you with this :D (My previous reviewers, if you want a cameo then just message me and I'll sort it out.) _

_I hope you enjoyed it!_


	7. Talking it over

A/N Hey all! Sorry it's been so long, but I just couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to go, so I left it for a few months...on coming back to it, it seems alright, so here it is :) I'll try not to leave it so long next time, but between lectures and coursework it could take a while. I hope you enjoy this chapter though, especially due to how long it took me!

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, as much as I wish I did. The characters of Hermione and Draco don't belong to me, but the plot is entirely mine.**

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Hermione woke with a start. Leaning up onto her elbows she looked around at the unfamiliar room. It was very dark, apart from a small amount of light filtering in from the window above her. She started, turning to look beside her. As she'd feared, she wasn't alone. She tried sitting up silently, so as not to wake him, but bashed her head on the sloped ceiling and yelped loudly. She rubbed her crown, sure that a bruise was forming, and crawled to the end of the bed. Then, she fell off. Well, it was dark, and very early. Plus she was pretty sure she was hung-over. "Dammit!" she yelled, not bothering to get up from where she'd fallen to. There was movement in the bed, and then a face peered over the edge and grinned as they saw Hermione crumpled up on the floor.

"Have a little accident did we?" he smirked, chuckling to himself.

"Will you just help me up?" she sighed, trying not to smile. He reached down a hand and she grabbed it, letting him pull her to a sitting position. It wasn't that hard to then yank his arm, and bring him tumbling down onto the floor with her. When she saw his look of utter confusion she started to giggle. It wasn't even four o'clock in the morning, and here they were, lying (or sitting) on the floor, probably hung-over, and definitely still very tired. Hermione accidentally snorted, sending herself into fits of laughter, and making her companion join in.

"You did that on purpose." He pouted, trying incredibly hard not to laugh again.

"Oh lighten up Mr Spoilsport. Can't a girl have some fun?" Hermione smirked, pulling him into a sitting position. He held onto her hand, not wanting to let go. She glanced at his face, seeing his tumultuous grey eyes moving like storm clouds, giving her butterflies all over again.

"Hermione." He began, moving his forehead to rest on hers. "I apologise for my next actions." Then, a swift flick, and he'd pulled her over, and they were lying on the floor caught up in a furious tickling match.

"Oh this is war Draco Malfoy!" she cried, pinning him to the floor and sitting on his chest. He reached his arms around to get her sides, but she caught his underarms and made him squeal like a little girl. Soon they were both out of breath, Hermione having won hands down. She was still sitting on him, but decided it was much safer that way. Draco didn't mind, he liked her sitting there. Feeling the weight of Hermione on his chest made him realise that this wasn't all a dream. "Good morning." She grinned, resting her hands on his shoulders for comfort.

"Yes," he replied, "It is, isn't it." And he reached his hands up to cup her face. Closing her eyes she sighed, breathing in his scent. Lemons, and something that was entirely unexplainable, but was every bit him. She clambered off and lay down on the floor next to him, looking up at the dark wooden ceiling above them. A hand was placed right next to hers and started caressing her palm.

"Are you starting again?" she frowned playfully, turning her face towards his. He shook his head, pretending to be scared of her. "Good." She mumbled, laying her head on his shoulder. Draco moved his arm around her, and felt her snuggle into his side. They lay in complete silence for a while, each contemplating the situation. Hermione was the first to break the silence. "So, how much did we actually have to drink last night?" she asked, turning to look Draco in the eyes.

"Do you mean we, or you?" he grinned, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "I had two firewhiskeys and a glass of wine. You, on the other hand, had three firewhiskeys, and the rest of the bottle of wine that I didn't drink."

"Shit. Really?" she whispered, searching for any sign of a lie in Draco's face. He nodded, and she closed her eyes in shame. "Ah fuck. And, remind me, why did we decide to drink in the first place?"

"Because it was the only way we could talk about Aden without arguing." He said, not bothering to soften the blow. It was then that Hermione remembered what had been said before they'd headed to the pub five minutes' walk from Katy's. No doubt she'd broken his young heart three years ago, and when they'd seen each other for the first time after that, she'd told him the same thing. _"You remind me too much of Aden." "All I see when I look in your eyes is Aden."_ And she'd undoubtedly broken his heart again. She sat up and put her head in her hands, Draco's side immediately feeling cold without her presence. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Hermione let her hair cover her face. Her brown eyes filled with tears, and she turned her body away from Draco.

"I'm such a bitch." She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. Draco sat up and put his arms around her. He pulled her into his embrace, and cradled her while she cried.

"No, you're not. You're just upset. I don't blame you Remy. It upset me too." He felt tears forming in his own eyes, but couldn't be bothered to wipe them away. Hermione wriggled around, placing her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him.

"I hurt you because I was hurting. I must've known that you were hurting too, but I disregarded it. I thought my hurt was worse than yours was…I was wrong." She muttered into his skin, soaking his t-shirt. Draco sighed; he'd always known it had something to do with that. He couldn't bring himself to say anything though, he was too afraid he'd full out sob. "I'm sorry for hurting you Boo." She whimpered, snuggling up closer.

"I understand why you did it." He pulled Hermione to sit in his lap, and looked down at her soft hair. "It was the only way to stop being reminded of him every single day." Draco planted a kiss on top of Hermione's head, a few last tears falling there too. Hermione twisted her head so that she was looking up into Draco's face, her eyes wet from crying. She smiled gingerly, and put a hand on his cheek.

"I missed you Bubby." She sighed, stroking his face gently. Draco felt his heart beat a little bit faster. She was back to using pet names, so maybe, just maybe, she was ready to let him back in. He put his hand on hers, turning his face into it and kissing the palm, all the while watching her to see her reaction. She closed her eyes, and started caressing the small of his back. He grinned into her hand, and arched his back slightly. Hermione smiled, her eyes still closed, as he took his hand off of hers and placed on her chin, tilting her head upwards slightly.

"I missed you too Ree." Draco whispered, before capturing her lips in a tender kiss. He felt Hermione smile against his lips and start to kiss him back.

o.o

"_I want this Draco, I really do. But when I look into your eyes, your handsome grey eyes, all I see is Aden." Hermione felt him tense up, and took a step backwards, to protect herself from whatever was coming next. Draco just looked defeated, a small tear gliding down his face. Even in sadness he was elegant. Deciding that she didn't need to stay and hurt him any longer, Hermione slowly turned and started to walk away; her heart silently shattering all over again._

"_Wait." A whispered word that made Hermione stop in her tracks. Draco came over and stood in front over her; his face wet with tears. "I don't want this to happen again Mione." He took her hand in his and pulled her into his embrace as she wrapped her arms around him and let out a small sob. "We need to talk about this." Draco felt her nod against his chest, and let her out of his grasp. "Let's find a pub. It'll be easier not to argue if we're in public."_

_Taking his hand, Hermione let him lead her to the closest pub; it was one that her father frequented on his nightly outings with friends. Almost afraid to go in there, she squeezed Draco's hand; letting him know she was nervous. He returned the gesture, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders; something that made her feel safe. They walked to the back of the pub and found a table. Draco ordered a bottle of her favourite wine, and they started to talk._

"_Draco. I'm sorry. It hurt so much, I thought I'd never stop crying." She whispered, looking straight into his deep grey eyes. A million thoughts rushed through her head, 'What if I said the wrong thing?', 'How does he feel about all of this?' She felt Draco reach across the table and take her hand, rubbing soothing circles on her palm._

"_Mione." He began, pausing as if trying to find the right words. "It was always going to be hard to talk about. It was always going to hurt. My heart felt like it had been cut into tiny pieces, and that I'd never be able to put it back together again." Hermione listened intently; she'd never heard him speak about it before. "The only thing that kept me going, in the three months afterwards, was that I still had you. And then, I didn't even have that anymore." Now he was crying, tears dropping onto the table in a rapid waterfall. Hermione scooted around to his side and held him while he let it all out. 'What the fuck have I done?' she thought to herself as Draco cried on her shoulders._

"_Draco. I know how you felt." Draco lifted his head off of hers, and looked at her in stunned silence._

"_Then why did you end it?" barely a whisper, but Hermione was close enough to hear._

"_I was scared. I was scared that if I kept you, that I'd lose you too." She paused to try and stop herself from crying once again. "I'd already lost Aden; something that I loved more than life itself. I just didn't want to lose you too." And then, the tears fell; and Draco was holding her once more._

"_Mia." He sighed, stroking her hair. "I know you were scared; hell you'd just lost one of the only things that mattered more to you than anything in the whole world. I would have been there for you. I'd just lost him too."_

"_Everything was weird, after we lost him."_

"_I know."_

"_We'd been waiting for him all that time, and then when he arrived we couldn't even keep him."_

"_It just wasn't meant to be Remy. Aden was meant for things greater than this earth. He's our angel now."_

"_That day, when I held him for the first time and I looked into his tiny little face, my world was complete. But then, when we lost him, my heart cracked open and I couldn't face anything anymore. Not even my mother." Draco sighed, and pulled Hermione closer into him. He could feel her breath on his neck, and the tears rolling down her cheeks. It had been hard enough to tell her mother in the first place, despite Hermione trying to reassure him that she wouldn't be too angry; and that on the plus side at least her mother wasn't a witch who could hex him for sleeping with her daughter._

_He'd loved that time of his life. Okay, finding out that Hermione was pregnant was terrible, especially at 17; but watching her fill with expectant life, with a baby that was completely them and theirs still brought happy tears to his eyes. He remembered those hot summer evenings; Hermione was about seven months pregnant then, and her belly was swollen quite a lot, making her grumpy in the heat. They'd gone down to the lake behind her house, to dip her toes in the water. Watching her, Draco knew that this was the happiest he'd been since he could remember; being with Hermione was it. Soothingly he'd rubbed circles on her stomach, making their baby kick and sending Mione into fits of laughter._

_The day of the birth, Draco was nervous as fuck. He hated seeing Hermione in so much pain, writhing on the bed as their son made his way into the world; he'd cried, he was okay. They'd named him Aden, with no middle name picked out yet. Their discussions turned into arguments, because neither could agree on a name that they wanted. He was a tiny baby though, and it turned out that he wasn't meant to be theirs. Overnight he'd stopped breathing, and now they were left with broken hearts and empty arms. They'd had to fill out a birth certificate and a death certificate in the same day; with still no middle name decided. Draco had done it, not wanting to upset Hermione even more. She'd asked him when he came back into the room, what middle name he'd added. "Scorpius Serafim." He replied, his voice barely audible. She nodded, her eyes filling with tears again. "Aden Scorpius Serafim Granger-Malfoy."_

_Pulling himself out of the trance, Draco suggested that they go back to his place; bribing her with firewhiskey. Reluctantly she agreed, grabbing the bottle of wine that had stayed untouched. Draco had a feeling that this would be a long night._

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A/N I hope that was worth waiting for. If you enjoyed it please review, I love reading your comments and feedback, and it does mean that I can improve for future chapters. Hopefully the next chapter won't be as long coming :)


	8. Everything's complicated

A/N Yes...so hi there! I wrote this chapter yesterday and today, and it's mainly a break from the more intense stuff in the story right now. Although, this bit is kinda intense, but it's mainly just explaining some stuff from earlier on in the story, and the end is me making things more complicated for myself...YAY! :/ I hope you enjoy it though :)

**Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, but the plot does.**

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_Harry's POV_

"_He needs you Harry, don't let him down." I sighed as I heard those words, 'He needs you.' How long had I been his rock? Ever since first year I guess; ever since we'd met on the platform, and our friendship had grown stronger every day. We'd been there for each other through it all, and now he needed me to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. As if it didn't break me to see him with her in the first place, now I had to go there and comfort him when it broke my heart to see him upset. It wasn't easy subduing the feelings I'd had since we were fourteen, but if he needed me to be strong and supportive then I was damn well going to be there. What else were best friends for?_

"_I won't." And then she was gone, my words seemingly comforting her too. Underneath my strong exterior I was a wreck, stuck in a relationship I'd rather not be in, and hailed as a hero although I still didn't feel like one after all these years. Don't get me wrong, Ginny was wonderful, a lovely girl but not at all my type. I'd thought she was the one I wanted, the one that I needed to be with. It turns out that I was just using her as a replacement for the one person who I'd wanted all along, the one person who understood me more than I understood myself; Ron. I'd thought that maybe if I dated Ginny I'd start liking girls, she was so much like Ron that I thought it might trick my mind into believing that I was with him. After all these years I still felt little more than friendship for her, forcing myself into romantic situations that left me feeling nauseous afterwards._

_I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts. I needed to be a friend to Ron, nothing more right now. If he wanted something then he'd instigate it, not be forced into anything by me. His relationship had just broken down; he needed a friend first and foremost to help carry his load. I got up from the sofa and started towards the door, grabbing a jacket on my way. Slipping on my trainers I scooped up my keys from the table in the hallway and opened the door. "I'm just going out for a bit." I yelled down the hall to Ginny, who was resting away her hangover from the evening before._

"_Harry! You can't leave now; I need you to stay here!" She came rushing out of the bedroom wearing a dressing gown and socks. "I'm not feeling well and I thought it would be nice if you looked after me today." She pouted and I sighed, she always did this._

"_Your brother needs me Gin. Hermione just broke up with him, and she needs me to go help him get back on his feet." Her face fell, but I knew she was going to give in. "I'll be back for dinner, okay? I'll bring back takeaway, your favourite." That made her smile, and I kissed her cheek before closing the door behind me. It would be a long walk to Ron's, but I needed the crisp coolness of the air to calm my nerves._

_Half an hour later I arrived at the apartment building where Ron lived. My face and hands were a little chilly, so I was grateful for the spurt of hot air that shot out at me as the doors to the lobby opened at my movement. Once inside I made towards the lift, not bothering to take my aching legs up the stairs. As the fifth floor got nearer I felt the butterflies in my stomach awaken, churning up all of my unsaid feelings. The lift doors opened and I stepped out onto the landing, looking for flat number 5C. I knocked three times rapidly on the door, and waited for Ron to let me in. I couldn't hear any movement from inside the flat, so I knocked again._

"_Ron? Ron, open the door. It's Harry." I knocked once more, getting worried I tried the handle, surprised to find it unlocked. I pushed it open, walking in tentatively I noticed how quiet it was, and the fact that Ron was nowhere to be seen. "Ron?" I called, wondering where he was. I tiptoed around the flat, peering into the kitchen and bathroom only to find emptiness. I stopped outside the bedroom and put my ear to the door. Soft sobbing was coming from inside, and I sighed. I'd known he wasn't going to take it well, but I was hoping that he wouldn't be too upset. I braced myself for what was to come and pushed the door slightly, taking a small step inside. The lights were off, and it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the dark. I scanned the small room, looking for Ron. He was huddled up in a ball in the middle of the bed. My head dropped, I'd never seen him like this before and it hurt me to think that Hermione had done this to him. I wasn't blaming her as such, I know how damaging it can be carrying on a fake relationship, but I wondered if she knew just how much it had hurt Ron when she left._

"_Ron? It's Harry. Hermione called me. Are you okay mate?" I walked slowly over to the bed, kicking my trainers off by the door. As I reached the edge Ron turned to look at me, his eyes filled with tears._

"_She left me Harry. I loved her and she left me." I sat down on the bed next to him, unsure of what to do or say. I'd dealt with other stuff, never break ups before. It was hard not to take him in my arms and hug his worries away, which is what I'd have done if he was Hermione; which is what I wanted to do. _

"_Ron…I'm sorry. I…I don't know what to say." I looked at my best friend, the man I loved, lying all scrunched up in a ball crying his eyes out, and I felt my heart break for him, for me because he'd never know how I felt. He sat up, turning to face me, our crossed knees touching. I had to stop myself from shivering at the touch, my heart beating slightly faster just from the small contact we had._

"_Don't worry mate." He managed to whisper between sobs, "Why should you know what heart break feels like? Your relationship is perfect, not a lie like mine was." Tears filled my eyes, now I really didn't know what to say. Should I tell him? We'd never kept anything from each other, but I didn't want to hurt and confuse him any more than he already was. I sighed, dropping my head to my hands, willing the tears to stop coming._

"_I know what heart break feels like Ron. I feel it every day. I don't love Ginny; our relationship is a lie, at least for me. I don't think I've ever loved her. I only dated her to try and convince myself that I could like girls…Crap." I realised what I'd said as soon as the words left my mouth, and I looked up to see Ron staring at me. His mouth was open, but he seemed to have forgotten his upset. I was worried about what he was going to say. I'd just revealed that I was gay and that I didn't actually love his sister, and Ron wasn't famed for his calm temper. "Oh shit. Ron, I didn't mean to say that out loud, I just wanted you to realise that I understand how you feel, because my heart broke every day you were dating Hermione. Seeing you with her was so hard for me, especially through school, knowing that when you left you'd get together, and get married, and I wouldn't even get a look in. Do you know how hard that was? Not being able to tell you how I felt for six years, you don't even have a clue!" Well, now I'd done it. "Shit. Shit, shit, shit." I got up and paced around the room. Ron was still sitting on the bed, his mouth now wide open, and his eyes following me._

"_No!" He suddenly yelled, jumping up and staring at me wide eyed. "You…fancy me? You're not really in love with my sister, you're gay, and you fancy…me?" He was backed up against the wall, trying to process everything in his mind. I just stood in the middle of the room, not saying anything in case I made it worse. Ron slid down and sat on the pillows, still looking confused._

"_Ron…" He looked at me, his blue eyes glistening with fresh tears. "Oh god, what have I done?" I rushed over to the bed, taking him in my arms as he broke down again. "Oh Ron, I'm so sorry. I should have just shut up." I felt him move out of my arms and look me in the eye._

"_Harry, we're best friends, you can tell me anything. I don't care that you're gay, just don't hurt my sister any longer, okay?" I nodded, glad that he wasn't angry with me at least. "You…you really fancy me?" he asked, taking me by surprise. I'd expected him just to skip over that fact, the Ron that I knew would have done. I turned away from him, feeling a little ashamed of myself, but hoping that he wouldn't be upset with me over something like this._

"_Harry." He whispered, turning my head to face him. He looked me in the eyes, making my heart skip a million beats, and my stomach churn from a thousand butterflies doing somersaults in there. "I think I'd be okay with that." He continued, smiling slightly. _

"_Really?" I questioned, not sure if he was joking or not._

"_Really." He said, smiling at me. I smiled too, glad that my friend had accepted me for who I was. Everything felt different all of a sudden, the atmosphere had changed. Ron was still looking into my eyes, his hand still on my face. He must have realised because he moved it quickly, as if he'd been burned. He blushed, and looked down into his lap. I cupped my hand around his face and brought his eyes in line with mine, gently caressing his cheek as I did so. Ron looked at me, his blue eyes shining with anticipation. My heart was almost jumping out of my chest in that moment as I brought his face closer, so that our foreheads were almost touching._

"_Ron."_

"_Don't say anything." He whispered, closing his eyes softly. I brought my lips down to his, and closed the gap tenderly, kissing him gently as if he could break at any moment. I heard him gasp, and saw him open his eyes as I pulled away. I suddenly realised what I'd done, and moved away from Ron, dropping my hand as I went. Collecting my things I ran from the room, not wanting to face Ron right now. I could hear him coming after me, but I really wanted to be alone._

"_Harry! Wait!"_

"_Ron…I can't do this right now. Please, just…I just need some time." He stopped in the hallway, looking at me confused. "Please Ron, just let me go." He nodded, hanging his head._

"_You need some space, I get it. At least it will give me some time to figure all this out."_

"_I'm sorry Ron. I really am." Grabbing my keys from my pocket I left, deciding to take the stairs this time. It would give me a lot more time to think._

o.o

"Ginny, I'm home." Harry yelled as he came through the door to their apartment. It had been weeks since he'd last spoken to Ron, and he'd finally figured out what he wanted. Today he just had to put everything right. He heard Ginny come into the living room as he hung his coat up, and turned around anticipating an embrace. He was surprised when he didn't receive one, which must have registered on his face because Ginny began to stutter an excuse. It was then that Harry noticed how red her eyes were; she'd been crying? "Ginny, what's wrong?" he asked, stepping towards her.

"Harry. I'm pregnant."

* * *

A/N Yeah, so I hoped you liked and aren't too confused/upset with me :/ I've made a lot more work for myself haven't I...yeah...anyway, review if you liked it. It means everything to me when someone reviews, even if you don't write much. It helps me get better at writing which means better chapters, and probably less time in between chapters too. Thanks for reading :) (Also, if you're confused about ages, Harry and Ron are 20, as are Hermione and Draco, and Ginny is 19)


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